District Not Recorded
The source did not name an office we could identify. These records remain unassigned rather than guessed.
Department of Justice Reviewing Letters from Ten Potential Sanctuary JurisdictionsRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice provided an update on the ten jurisdictions identified in a May 2016 report by the Department’s Inspector General as having policies that potentially violate 8 U.S.C. 1373. Each of the ten jurisdictions were required to submit their legal analysis of how they are in compliance with 8 U.S.C. 1373 by June 30, 2017.
The Justice Department received alleged compliance information from each of the ten jurisdictions by the deadline, is in the process of reviewing them, and looks forward to making a determination as to whether those jurisdictions are in compliance with federal law. Some of these jurisdictions have boldly asserted they will not comply with requests from federal immigration authorities, and this would potentially violate 8 U.S.C. 1373.
“It is not enough to assert compliance, the jurisdictions must actually be in compliance,” Attorney General Sessions said. "Sanctuary cities put the lives and well-being of their residents at risk by shielding criminal illegal aliens from federal immigration authorities. These policies give sanctuary to criminals, not to law-abiding Americans. The Trump Administration is determined to keep every American neighborhood safe and that is why we have asked these cities to comply with federal law, specifically 8 U.S.C. 1373. The Department of Justice has now received letters from ten jurisdictions across the United States claiming that they are in compliance with what federal law requires of them, and we will examine these claims carefully. Residents have a right to expect basic compliance with federal law from their local and state governments."
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Issues Statement on the Murder of NYPD Officer Miosotis FamiliaRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement on the murder of NYPD Officer Miosotis Familia:
“Officer Miosotis Familia proudly wore the badge for 12 years, serving her community and keeping the people of New York City safe,” Attorney General Sessions said. “She was doing her duty, on patrol in the Bronx, when she was unjustly targeted and murdered in a cowardly, unprovoked attack. She will be remembered for her years of service and for the example of selflessness that she set protecting innocent people on our streets. This murder in cold blood is a tragedy, and sadly it is the latest in a troubling series of attacks on police officers over the past two years. These attacks must stop and we must honor the service of every law enforcement officer and the memory of those we have lost in the line of duty.”
Mississippi Corrections Officers Sentenced for Inmate Assault and Cover-UpRead the Press Release
Mississippi correctional officer Robert Sturdivant, 48, was sentenced to 18 months in prison and one (1) year of supervised release for leading the cover-up after an inmate was severely beaten at the state’s Parchman Prison, the Justice Department announced today.
Three other officers have already been sentenced for the March 9, 2014, incident, in which an officer punched and kicked the victim while he lay nonresistant on the ground. The victim was temporarily blinded by the attack and suffered severe blood loss, a broken orbital bone, and permanent partial vision loss.
After the attack, Sturdivant, a supervisor, led the three other officers to create a cover story that falsely minimized and falsely justified the force used by officers. He pleaded guilty in February.
“Supervisory officers must be held accountable for permitting and encouraging the officers under their watch from committing violent acts,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler. “The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution.”
Three other officers were sentenced on June 2 for their roles in the beating and the cover-up. Lawardrick Marsher, 29, the main perpetrator of the assault, was sentenced to 50 weekends in jail and a period of probation. Deonte Pate, 24, was sentenced to 12 weekends in jail and to a period of probation for his role in concealing the incident. Romander Nelson, 44, was sentenced to 14 weekends in jail and a period of probation for failing to intervene to protect the victim.
The Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman is the largest prison in the state, housing more than 3,000 inmates. It has operated continuously as both a prison and a working farm since 1901.
“We have been consistent in our message,” said Christopher Freeze, special agent in charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “Corrections officers are not above the law. In fact, law enforcement officers should be held to a higher standard. This corrections supervisor heinously abused his power, infringing upon the Constitutional rights of the inmate, when he assisted with covering up the crime. It was our duty to bring him to justice. The FBI is committed and will continue to aggressively investigate any civil rights allegations."
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson Division, with the cooperation of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Coleman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
Executive Office for Immigration Review Announces New Acting Deputy DirectorRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA - The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced the appointment of Katherine H. Reilly as the agency’s Acting Deputy Director. Ms. Reilly has served as Chief Counsel of the Employee and Labor Relations Unit within EOIR’s Office of General Counsel since December 2013.
"Katherine’s varied and impressive legal experience makes her well-suited for assuming the position of Acting Deputy Director at EOIR, especially during this important time when we are mobilizing all of our resources to combat a growing caseload," said Acting Director James McHenry. "The skills she has acquired as a manager and through her work in employee and labor relations are critical for the agency, both to meet its current challenges and to establish effective policies and procedures for the future."
In her new capacity as Acting Deputy Director, Ms. Reilly will supervise EOIR’s components and will be responsible for assisting in leading the agency in formulating and administering policies and strategies which enhance EOIR’s effectiveness in fulfilling its core mission of adjudicating cases fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly
Katherine H. Reilly joined EOIR in December 2013 as Chief Counsel of the Employee and Labor Relations Unit within the Office of General Counsel. Prior to her tenure with EOIR, she was the Director of Legal Services for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, managing that agency’s employee relations team, civil litigation section, and contracting division. Ms. Reilly also served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for criminal prosecutions in the Northern District of Texas. She began her career with the Federal Trade Commission as an antitrust attorney and also worked for a law firm, advising corporate clients on antitrust and commercial litigation. Ms. Reilly received her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne, Australia. Ms. Reilly is a member of the District of Columbia and Virginia bars.
Wildboys Gang Member Convicted for Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering and Related Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Charleston, South Carolina, yesterday convicted a member of the Wildboys gang of attempted murder in aid of racketeering and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced Acting Assistant Attorney Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Hyman of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Charlotte, North Carolina Field Division; Solicitor Duffie Stone of the 14th Judicial Circuit; Solicitor David Pascoe of the First Circuit; Sheriff R.A. Strickland of the Colleton County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Chief Wade Marvin of the Walterboro, South Carolina Police Department; Sheriff Al Cannon, Jr. of the Charleston County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff L. C. Knight of the Dorchester County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office; Chief Jon Rogers of the Summerville, South Carolina Police Department; Director Jerry Adger of the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and Chief Mark Keel of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Devin Brown, aka “Deno Badazz,” 23, of Walterboro, S.C., was convicted of violent crime in aid of racketeering activity and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence as a result of his involvement in the April 7, 2015, attempted murder of individuals believed to be rival gang members. Brown faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years in prison on the firearms charge.
According to evidence presented at trial, the defendant was a member of the Wildboys, a violent street gang from the Green Pond area of Walterboro, S.C. Evidence at trial showed that beginning as early as 2012, Wildboys gang members engaged in racketeering activity, to include an April 9, 2012, robbery in Walterboro, and a March 18, 2015, attempted murder in Summerville, S.C.
Evidence presented at trial also showed that Brown, along with two other members of the Wildboys, committed racketeering acts, including the April 7, 2015 shooting at the home of a rival gang member in the Dooley Hill area of Walterboro. According to the trial evidence, on that date, Brown and two other members of the Wildboys drove past the home of the rival gang members and used assault-type firearms to shoot into the home. An innocent bystander inside the home was shot and injured, the evidence showed.
Four individuals previously pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering related to their involvement in the Wildboys gang. On June 2, 2017, U.S. District Judge Richard M. Gergel of the District of South Carolina sentenced Wildboys members and associates Kelvin Mitchell, Damien Robinson, and Brian Manigo for their roles in gang-related racketeering activities. Sentencing is pending for Wildboys member Joshua Manigault.
The case was investigated by the ATF, Charleston, South Carolina, in partnership with the Walterboro Police Department; Colleton County Sheriff’s Office; Charleston County Sheriff’s Office; Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office; Summerville Police Department; Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; First Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office; South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Leshia Lee-Dixon of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Tameaka A. Legette, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney from the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Bluffton, South Carolina.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim against Florida Staffing CompanyRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with Sellari’s Enterprises, Inc. (Sellari’s), a company that provides staffing services in Orlando, Florida. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation into whether Sellari’s violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against work-authorized immigrants when verifying their work authorization.
Based on its investigation, the department concluded that Sellari’s requested that non-U.S. citizens present specific documents to prove their work authorization, such as a Permanent Resident Cards or Employment Authorization Documents, while not requesting specific documents from U.S. citizens. All work-authorized individuals, whether citizens or non-citizens, have the right to choose which valid documentation to present to prove they are authorized to work. The anti-discrimination provision of the INA prohibits employers from subjecting employees to different or unnecessary documentary demands based on employees’ citizenship, immigration status or national origin.
Under the settlement, Sellari’s will pay a civil penalty of $120,000 to the United States, post notices informing workers about their rights under the INA’s antidiscrimination provision, train its staff, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements for three years.
“The law protects individuals who are work-authorized from discriminatory obstacles during the employment eligibility verification process,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “Employers must ensure that their employment eligibility verification processes are not applied in an unlawful manner.”
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to different documentary requirements based on their citizenship/immigration status or national origin, or discrimination based on their citizenship/immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions: We Cannot Accept these Levels of Violence in ChicagoRead the Press Release
Today Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued the following statement on the unacceptable violence plaguing the City of Chicago and outlined steps that the Department of Justice is taking to increase public safety:
"No child in America should have to walk the streets of their neighborhood in fear of violent criminals, and yet in Chicago, thousands of children do every day. Last year, more than 4,300 Chicagoans were shot, and more than 700 were killed—the deadliest year in two decades.”
“The Trump Administration will not let the bloodshed go on; we cannot accept these levels of violence. That's why, under President Trump's strong leadership, we have created the Chicago Gun Strike Force and are sending 20 more permanent ATF agents to Chicago, reallocating federal prosecutors and prioritizing prosecutions to reduce gun violence, and working with our law enforcement partners to stop the lawlessness.”
“The Trump administration will also continue to pursue every avenue available to ensure that states and cities comply with federal immigration law and protect our citizens—rather than protecting the criminal illegal aliens who prey upon them. So-called "sanctuary" policies tie the hands of law enforcement by rejecting common sense and undermining federal laws that would remove criminal, illegal aliens from the streets and remove them from this country. These policies are opposed by some 80 percent of the American people because they endanger us all by letting dangerous criminals stay in this country that are due to be removed.”
“I want to commend the President for his commitment to enforcing our laws and keeping our communities safe.”
“The most critical factor to our success is the strength, training, and morale of the Chicago Police Department and all of our law enforcement partners. This administration is anxious to work toward this goal.”
“And I am confident in Celinez Nunez, the new Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of ATF, who has experienced the tragic consequences of gang violence firsthand. With these new resources, she will help us make Chicago safe again."
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON CRIME GUN STRIKE FORCE
The Crime Gun Strike Force, a permanent team of special agents, task force officers, intelligence research specialists, and ATF Industry Operations investigators who are focused on the most violent offenders, in the areas of the city with the highest concentration of firearm violence.
The Strike Force became operational June 1, 2017, and consists of 20 additional permanent ATF special agents, 6 intelligence research specialists, 12 task force officers from the Chicago Police Department (CPD), 2 task force officers from the Illinois State Police, and 4 NIBIN specialists (National Integrated Ballistics Information Network).
James Dean Trangsrud Sentenced to Prison in Failure to Register as a Sex Offender CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant JAMES DEAN TRANGSRUD, age 51, from Santa Rita, was sentenced today in District Court to a 12-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release for failure to register as a sex offender. The Court also ordered TRANGSRUD to pay a mandatory $100 assessment fee and to perform 25 hours of community service. In addition, defendant was ordered to register with the sex offender registry in every jurisdiction that he lives, resides, is employed, or attends school.
On March 31, 2017, TRANGSRUD entered a guilty plea to an Indictment charging him with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2250(a)(1) and (2). The investigation revealed that in 2000, TRANGSRUD, was convicted of Indecent Exposure, Lascivious Acts with a Child, Sexual Abuse and Indecent Contact with a Child in the Iowa District in and for Black Hawk County and was required to register with the sex offender registry. August 12, 2016, TRANGSRUD absconded from Iowa and traveled to Guam where he failed to register and update his registration with the Guam Sex Offender Registry. United States Marshals located TRANGSRUD on February 15, 2017 in the village of Santa Rita, Guam.
The District Court noted the importance of the Guam Sex Offender Registry in the protection of the community. Court imposed sentence of 12-months imprisonment, a special assessment of $100, supervised release of three years, and ordered the defendant to undergo a sex offender assessment approved by the U.S. Probation Office. Additionally, the court restricted the defendant from employment with minors below the age of eighteen and ordered he have no contact with children.
The United States Marshals Service, Inspector Marciano Patricio and USMS Supervising Deputy John Untalan conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta San Nicolas, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Former Prison Transport Officer Indicted for Sexual Assault and Threatening the Victim with a FirearmRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Phoenix, Arizona, returned a three-count indictment against Eric Scott Kindley, 49, a prison transport officer, for crimes related to his sexual assaults of a female in his custody, and using his firearm in furtherance of these assaults.
Counts One and Two of the indictment charge Kindley with committing civil rights offenses that include both the use of a dangerous weapon and aggravated sexual abuse. Count Three charges Kindley with knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of these crimes of violence.
This indictment stems from Kindley’s arrest in Stockton, California on June 1, 2017, in connection with a criminal complaint filed in the District of Arizona. According to arrest paperwork, Kindley operates Group 6, LLC doing business as Special Operations Group 6, a company that local jails throughout the country hire to transport individuals who have been arrested on out-of-state warrants. The probable cause affidavit associated with the criminal complaint alleged that from January through May of this year, Kindley engaged in sexual misconduct in his Dodge Caravan with three different female prisoners during three different transports. The transports were from California to Arizona, Alabama to Arizona, and Mississippi to New Mexico. In each instance, the victim was handcuffed and restrained, and taken to secluded locations where Kindley sexually assaulted her. All the while, Kindley threatened each victim with his firearm and warned her that he will get away with his conduct because no one will believe her.
Following Kindley’s arrest in the Eastern District of California, the court ordered that Kindley be detained and transported to Arizona for further proceedings. Kindley is currently in custody.
This investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to call the Phoenix Division of the FBI at (623) 466-1999, or can email the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice at [email protected].
Kindley faces a maximum of life in prison if convicted of the crimes charged, and a mandatory minimum of five years in prison for use of the firearm.
An indictment is merely a formal accusation of criminal conduct, and Kindley is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Phoenix Division of the Federal Bureau Investigation and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Maura White of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and Assistant United States Attorney Abbie Broughton Marsh of the District of Arizona.
Federal, State and Tribal Trustees Reach $8.2 Million Settlement with Three Companies for Natural Resource Damages Incurred at St. Louis River / Interlake / Duluth Tar Superfund SiteRead the Press Release
The U.S. and the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin today announced an $8.2 million settlement with XIK, LLC, Honeywell International, Inc., and Domtar, Inc. to resolve a claim for natural resource damages at the St. Louis River / Interlake / Duluth Tar (SLRIDT) Superfund Site brought under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as the Superfund Law. The SLRIDT Site consists of 255 acres of land and river embayments located primarily in Duluth, Minnesota, and extends into the St. Louis River, including Stryker Bay.
According to the complaint, filed simultaneously with the settlement today in the District of Minnesota, the three companies are liable for industrial discharges of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) at the SLRIDT Site during the first half of the 20th Century. PAHs were identified in river sediments throughout the Site in sufficient concentrations to cause injury to many types of natural resources, including vegetation, fish and birds. In addition, PAH-contaminated natural resources resulted in the loss of recreational fishing and tribal use services.
“The restoration work enabled by this settlement will make significant contributions to the environment in the area of the St. Louis River and nearby Lake Superior,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “We are particularly pleased to have been able to work alongside the State of Wisconsin, the State of Minnesota, affected Tribes, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on achieving this positive outcome.”
Under CERCLA, federal, state, and tribal natural resource trustees have authority to seek compensation for natural resources harmed by hazardous industrial waste and by-products discharged into the St. Louis River. The natural resource trustees include the U.S. Department of the Interior, acting through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the U.S. Department of Commerce, acting through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; the 1854 Treaty Authority, representing the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa; the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency; the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources; and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The proposed settlement includes $6.5 million to be used on restoration activities consistent with a proposed Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment that is also being made available for public review and comment today. Of the possible restoration alternatives, the draft Restoration Plan recommends:
- Kingsbury Bay: Restoration of a 70-acre shallow, sheltered embayment habitat that will add recreational access areas for fishing and a boat launch, improve habitat and reduce invasive vegetation.
- Kingsbury Creek Watershed: Activities to reduce sediment accumulation, improve water quality and support the shallow sheltered bay habitat of the restored Kingsbury Bay.
- Wild Rice Restoration: Enhancement of wild rice stands within the estuary.
- Cultural Education Opportunities: Development of informational displays to communicate importance of the St. Louis River estuary’s cultural and natural resources.
The three Defendants previously paid approximately $80 million to clean up the SLRIDT Superfund site under prior agreements with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The consent decree is subject to a 30 day public comment period and final approval by the court. A copy of the consent decree is available on the Department of Justice web site at www.usdoj.gov/enrd/Consent_Decrees.html.
The draft Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment is also subject to a 30 day public comment period and is available for review at: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/st-louis-river-interlakeduluth-tar-site. Paper copies may be requested by calling 651-259-5157 or 888-646-6367.
Drug Importer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant MARY ANN B. CANTORES, age 37, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today by Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood to a 27-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release. The Court also ordered CANTORES to pay a mandatory $100 assessment fee. She was convicted of importation of 245 grams of methamphetamine with a 97.8% purity level.
On September 16, 2013, CANTORES arrived in Guam from the Philippines. She was detained at the airport by Guam Customs and Quarantine officers who recovered three plastic ziplock bags containing methamphetamine that were concealed on the bottom of a DVD box. CANTORES knowingly brought the drugs from the Philippines which she carried in one of her luggage. She had agreed with persons in the Philippines to deliver the drugs to an individual in Guam, later identified as Alvin Padua. Padua was arrested on the same day, and on March 31, 2017, he received a sentence of 87 months imprisonment for his role in attempting to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and because of an extensive criminal history record.
Defendant CANTORES pled guilty on October 9, 2013.
The case was investigated by law enforcement agents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marivic David.
Attorney General Sessions Speaks with Families of Victims Killed by Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Today Attorney General Jeff Sessions met with families who have lost loved ones because of crimes committed by illegal aliens. In the meeting they discussed the progress being made by the Trump Administration to strengthen laws protecting Americans from crimes committed by illegal aliens and, the need to keep working to ensure that federal immigration laws are enforced.
“It was a great honor for me to meet with these families, and I was impacted by their stories,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “The tragic burdens they carry remind us of the urgent need by the federal government to fully enforce our immigration laws and to secure the borders of this country. No Americans should experience what these families have suffered. I want to thank these strong moms, dads, siblings and widows for ensuring that their loved ones don’t die in vain by using their voices to affect the real changes that we are implementing. I commit to them, and I commit to the American people that the Department of Justice will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every American community.”
Attending the meeting with the Attorney General were Maureen Laquerre and Maureen Maloney of Massachusetts, Juan Piña and Sabine Durden of California, Steve Ronnebeck and Mary Ann Mendoza of Arizona and Laura Wilkerson of Texas.
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Kate’s Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals ActRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement regarding Kate’s Law (H.R. 3004) and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (H.R. 3003):
“I urge the House of Representatives to pass Kate’s Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act right away.
“President Trump is committed to the rule of law and public safety, and it is the responsibility of the Department of Justice to enforce that law to keep people safe.
“Countless families and communities have suffered as a result of these ‘sanctuary’ policies, which undermine federal law by safeguarding criminal illegal aliens from federal law enforcement. One victim of these policies was Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal alien who had been deported five times and yet still walked the streets freely. Her death was preventable, and she would still be alive today if only the City of San Francisco had put the public’s safety first. How many more Americans must die before we put an end to this madness?
“Violent, transnational gangs like MS-13 take advantage of these policies in order to smuggle in drugs, recruit new members from our schools, and pillage and plunder our communities. Closing these loopholes in our laws must be a priority if we are to make America safe from these dangerous transnational organizations.
“Americans demand that these ‘sanctuary cities’ stop protecting criminals and start protecting law-abiding residents from danger. It should come as no surprise that a Harvard University report found that 80 percent of Americans believe that cities that arrest illegal aliens for crimes should be required to turn them over to federal immigration officials.
“Kate’s Law and the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act would penalize criminal illegal aliens who break our laws and the jurisdictions that attempt to shield them from justice. These bills can restore sanity and common-sense to our system by ending abusive attempts to undermine federal law, and they can prevent future tragedies by empowering law enforcement.
“I urge the House of Representatives to put the American people first before another family loses their child.”
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Panda ExpressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (Panda Express), a restaurant chain with over 1,800 locations in the United States. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation into whether Panda Express discriminated against non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when reverifying their permission to work.
The department’s investigation concluded that Panda Express unnecessarily required lawful permanent resident workers to re-establish their work authorization when their Permanent Resident Cards expired, while not making similar requests to U.S. citizen workers when their documents expired. The investigation also revealed that Panda Express routinely required other non-U.S. citizen workers to produce immigration documents to reverify their ongoing work authorization despite evidence they had already provided sufficient documentation. The antidiscrimination provision of the INA prohibits such requests for documents when based on an employee’s citizenship status or national origin.
Under the settlement, Panda Express will pay a civil penalty of $400,000 to the United States, establish a $200,000 back pay fund to compensate workers who lost wages due to the company’s practices, train its human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
“Employers should ensure that their reverification practices comply with laws that protect workers against discrimination,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department applauds Panda Express for its cooperation during this investigation and its commitment to compensating workers who may have lost wages due to its documentary practices.”
Work authorized non-U.S. citizens who lost work at Panda Express between May 31, 2014, and June 28, 2017, due to Panda Express’ documentary practices may be eligible for back pay for the wages they would have earned. For more information, email [email protected].
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected] (link sends e-mail); or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Panda ExpressRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it reached a settlement agreement with Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (Panda Express), a restaurant chain with over 1,800 locations in the United States. The agreement resolves the department’s investigation into whether Panda Express discriminated against non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when reverifying their permission to work.
The department’s investigation concluded that Panda Express unnecessarily required lawful permanent resident workers to re-establish their work authorization when their Permanent Resident Cards expired, while not making similar requests to U.S. citizen workers when their documents expired. The investigation also revealed that Panda Express routinely required other non-U.S. citizen workers to produce immigration documents to reverify their ongoing work authorization despite evidence they had already provided sufficient documentation. The antidiscrimination provision of the INA prohibits such requests for documents when based on an employee’s citizenship status or national origin.
Under the settlement, Panda Express will pay a civil penalty of $400,000 to the United States, establish a $200,000 back pay fund to compensate workers who lost wages due to the company’s practices, train its human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.
“Employers should ensure that their reverification practices comply with laws that protect workers against discrimination,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department applauds Panda Express for its cooperation during this investigation and its commitment to compensating workers who may have lost wages due to its documentary practices.”
Work-authorized, non-U.S. citizens who lost work at Panda Express between May 31, 2014, and June 28, 2017, due to Panda Express’ documentary practices may be eligible for back pay for the wages they would have earned. For more information, email [email protected].
The division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER), formerly known as the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices, is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The statute prohibits, among other things, citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected] (link sends e-mail); or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or workers who believe they were subjected to different documentary requirements based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral, should contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Former Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Indicted for Using Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Topeka, Kansas, returned an indictment charging Former Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper James Carson with violating an individual’s civil rights by using excessive force, announced Thomas E. Wheeler, II, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division; Thomas E. Beall, United States Attorney for the District of Kansas; and Darrin E. Jones, Special Agent in Charge for the Kansas City Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The indictment alleges that James Carson, while acting under color of law as a Trooper with the Kansas Highway Patrol, used excessive force amounting to punishment against R.T. The indictment further alleges that Carson’s use of excessive force resulted in bodily injury to R.T. If convicted on the civil rights charge, Carson faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the Topeka Resident Agency of the Kansas City Field Office of the FBI. The case was initially investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag of the United States Attorney’s Office and Trial Attorney Rose Gibson of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
El Departamento de Justicia Resuelve una Denuncia de Discriminacion Relacionada con la Inmigración Contra Panda ExpressRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. – El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo con Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. (Panda Express), una cadena de restaurantes con más de 1.800 locales en los Estados Unidos. El acuerdo resuelve la investigación del Departamento para determinar si Panda Express discriminó a trabajadores que no eran ciudadanos de los EE. UU. al reverificar su permiso para trabajar, en contravención de la ley de Inmigración y Nacionalidad (INA, por sus siglas en inglés).
La investigación del Departamento concluyó que Panda Express tuvo el requisito innecesario de que trabajadores que eran residentes permanentes legales reestablecieran su autorización para trabajar al vencerse sus tarjetas de residencia mientras que no solicitaron las mismas cosas de sus trabajadores que eran ciudadanos de los EE. UU. cuando los documentos de estos vencieron. Asimismo, la investigación reveló que Panda Express requirió, de forma rutinaria, que otros trabajadores no ciudadanos de los EE. UU. presentasen documentos migratorios para reverificar su autorización ininterrumpida para trabajar, a pesar de tener ya pruebas de que los mismos ya habían aportado suficiente documentación. La disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA prohíbe tales solicitudes de documentos cuando las mismas se basan en el estatus de ciudadanía de un trabajador o en su nacionalidad de origen.
Al amparo del acuerdo, Panda Express pagará sanciones civiles que ascienden a $400.000 a los Estados Unidos, establecerá un fondo de pagos retroactivos de $200.000 para compensar a aquellos trabajadores que perdieron sueldo a causa de las prácticas de la empresa, capacitará a su personal de recursos humanos acerca de los requisitos de la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA y se someterá a la supervisión y requisitos de declaración del Departamento.
«Los empleadores deben asegurar que sus prácticas de reverificación cumplen con las leyes que protegen a los trabajadores de la discriminación», declaró el Fiscal General Auxiliar en funciones Tom Wheeler, de la División de Derechos Civiles. «El Departamento de Justicia felicita a Panda Express por su cooperación durante la investigación y por haberse comprometido a compensar a los trabajadores que hayan perdido sueldo por motivos de sus prácticas documentales».
Cualquier trabajador que no sea ciudadano de los EE. UU. y que cuente con autorización para trabajar y que perdió sueldo en Panda Express entre el 31 de mayo del 2014 y el 28 de junio del 2017 como resultado de las prácticas documentales de Panda Express pueden ser elegibles para recibir pagos retroactivos por el sueldo que habrían ganado. Para más información, mande un correo electrónico a [email protected].
La Sección de Derechos de Inmigrantes y Empleados (IER, por sus siglas en inglés), que anteriormente se conocía como la Oficina del Consejero Especial para Prácticas Injustas en el Empleo Relacionadas a Inmigración, que pertenece a la División, es responsable de aplicar la disposición antidiscriminatoria de la INA. Entre otras cosas, esta ley prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión; la discriminación en el proceso de verificación de la elegibilidad para trabajar; las represalias y la intimidación.
Para más información sobre protecciones contra la discriminación en el empleo en virtud de las leyes migratorias, llame a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores al 1‑800‑255-7688 (1‑800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); llame a la línea directa de la IER para empleadores al 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY para personas con discapacidades auditivas); matricúlese para un seminario en línea gratuito; mande un correo electrónico a [email protected] o visite la página web de la IER en inglés o español.
Aquellos postulantes o empleados que creen haber sido sometidos a otros requisitos documentales por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen, o a la discriminación por motivos de su estatus migratorio, ciudadanía o nacionalidad de origen en los procesos de contratación, despido o reclutamiento o recomendación por comisión deben llamar a la línea directa de la IER para trabajadores para pedir ayuda.
Download Panda Express Settlement Agreement
Tennessee Doctor and His Wife Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Defraud the IRSRead the Press Release
A Brentwood, Tennessee doctor and his wife were sentenced to prison today for conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Jeff McCoy Jr., 70, and Andra McCoy, 68, were each sentenced to serve 36 months in prison.
According to documents filed with the court, from 2002 through 2014, Jeff and Andra McCoy conspired to defraud the IRS by impeding the collection of their income taxes. The McCoys filed 2003 through 2007 income tax returns with the IRS on which they claimed fake income tax withholding amounts and sought approximately $2,620,208 in fraudulent refunds. They submitted false documents to the IRS and placed their assets in the names of nominees and in nominee bank accounts. For example, they established a bank account for a purported nonprofit business and directed Jeff McCoy’s employer to deposit his income into the nominee account. In addition to seeking fraudulent refunds, the McCoys also failed to pay more than $500,000 in taxes owed for tax years 2001 through 2008, despite earning more than $2 million during that time.
In addition to the term of prison imposed, Jeff and Andra McCoy were also ordered to each serve three years of supervised release and to pay $913,595 in restitution to the IRS. They previously pleaded guilty in March to conspiring to defraud the United States.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Smith commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Jaworski and Trial Attorney Alexander Effendi, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
International Shipping Executives Indicted for Colluding on Bids and RatesRead the Press Release
An indictment of three shipping executives was unsealed in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, the Department of Justice announced today.
Anders Boman, Arild Iversen, and Kai Kraass have been charged with participating in a long-running conspiracy to allocate certain customers and routes, rig bids, and fix prices for the sale of international ocean shipments of roll-on, roll-off cargo to and from the United States and elsewhere, including the Port of Baltimore. A federal grand jury returned the indictment in November 2016.
Boman, a citizen of Sweden, and Iversen, a Norwegian citizen, are former executives of Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics AS (WWL). Kraass, a German citizen, is a current WWL executive. Including the charges announced today, eleven executives have been charged in the investigation to date. Four have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to serve prison terms. Others remain international fugitives. WWL has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to pay a $98.9 million fine. Three other companies have also pleaded guilty, resulting in total collective criminal fines over $230 million.
The indictment alleges that Boman, Iversen, and Kraass conspired with their competitors to allocate certain customers and routes for the shipment of cars and trucks, as well as construction and agricultural equipment. The defendants accomplished their scheme by, among other things, attending meetings in Baltimore County and elsewhere during which they agreed not to compete against each other, by refraining from bidding or by agreeing on the prices they would bid for certain customers and routes. In addition, Boman, Iversen, and Kraass agreed with competitors to fix, stabilize, and maintain rates charged to customers of international ocean shipping services. The customers affected by the conspiracy included U.S. companies.
“The indictment unsealed today is yet another step in the Division’s efforts to restore competition in the shipping industry,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “WWL has pleaded guilty. Now we are working to ensure that its executives who conspired to suppress competition at the expense of American consumers will be held accountable.”
“These indictments are the continuation of a long-term effort by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office to secure our nation’s economy against collusion in the shipping industry, to ensure competition in the market place and to protect US companies from these deceptive practices.” said Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson.
Today’s announcement is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging, and other anticompetitive conduct in the international roll-on, roll-off ocean shipping industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section and the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, along with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Internal Affairs, Washington Field Office/Special Investigations Unit. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal I Section at 202-307-6694, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html or call the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office at 410-265-8080.
Former Agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration Pleads Guilty to Stealing Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
A former special agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pleaded guilty today to stealing fraud proceeds that she had been assigned to recover on behalf of fraud victims, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Michael P. Tompkins of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG).
Artemis Papadakis, 57, of Richmond, California, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt of the Southern District of California to an information charging her with theft by a government official. Sentencing has been scheduled for September 11 before U.S. District Judge John A. Houston.
According to the plea agreement, Papadakis admitted that she was stationed by the DEA in Nicosia, Cyprus, between 2008 and 2014. While in Cyprus, Papadakis was assigned to help the U.S. Government recover the proceeds of an American fraud scheme that had been frozen in the banking system in northern Cyprus. When Papadakis was transferred from Cyprus to San Francisco in June 2014, the funds had not yet been recovered. Papadakis admitted that she was told not to pursue the matter regarding the funds following her transfer. But when she was in Cyprus in October 2015 on personal business, Papadakis took possession of $310,000 of the funds without notifying anyone at the DEA or in the U.S. Government that she had done so.
According to the plea agreement, Papadakis mailed approximately $230,000 of those funds from Cyprus to her home address in California and later took possession of an additional $20,000 of those funds from a third party when he visited her in the U.S. Papadakis admitted that she hid the $250,000 in her flower pots at her home in California, and did not disclose to anyone at the DEA or in the U.S. Government that she had taken possession of the fraud proceeds. Papadakis further admitted that on or about Feb. 22, 2016, she surrendered the $250,000 to the U.S. government under the false cover story that she had just received it via an unexpected package from Cyprus.
The Justice Department’s OIG investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Jonathan Kravis and Molly Gaston of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Participates in Quintet Meeting of Attorneys GeneralRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions traveled to the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for the annual Meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General and Five Country Ministerial of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The focus of the Quintet meeting was on matters of common concern, including cybercrime, encryption, and countering violent extremism.
“I am very excited by the spirit and determination of our allies to take aggressive action to confront the terrorist threats. Increased collaboration, cooperation, and communication is essential to the fight against terrorism and transnational criminal organizations,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “This meeting of the Quintet of Attorneys General provides the setting for our closest allies with similar legal systems to discuss the steps we are taking to combat new avenues of radicalization, which is crucial to the safety and security of nations with shared values.”
Recent attacks in Europe emphasize the growing threat posed by ISIS’ radicalization of foreign terrorist fighters. It is essential that we use every lawful tool to prevent as many attacks as possible and to defeat these terrorist organizations. The Quintet ultimately seeks to improve methods to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from inspiring, radicalizing, financing, and recruiting individuals to commit acts of violence.
The Quintet also focused on the human trafficking crisis, a crime which the Department of Justice has increasingly encountered being committed by transnational criminal organizations. The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit within the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division works closely with our foreign partners to investigate and prosecute these organizations that are also involved in money laundering and visa fraud.
Statement of Christopher A. WrayRead the Press Release
Christopher A. Wray delivers a statement on his nomination by President Donald J. Trump to lead the FBI:
“I am honored and humbled to be nominated by the President to lead the FBI, the premier law enforcement organization in the world. From my earliest days working with agents as a line prosecutor to my time working with them at the Department of Justice in the aftermath of 9/11, I have been inspired by the men and women of the FBI – inspired by their professionalism, integrity, courage, and sacrifice for the public. If confirmed, it will be a privilege and honor to once again work with them. America faces grave threats both here and abroad, and the FBI, in concert with its federal, state, and local partners continues to work steadfastly to prevent and hold accountable those responsible for these threats. I look forward to the confirmation process, and pledge my complete commitment to fairly and honorably protecting our country and upholding our Constitution and laws.”
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Unanimous Supreme Court DecisionRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement after the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to review the lower courts’ decisions on the President’s executive order:
“I am pleased that the Supreme Court has decided to hear this case and the Department of Justice looks forward to arguing on behalf of the President and his constitutional duty to protect the national security of the United States.
“We have seen far too often in recent months that the threat to our national security is real and becoming increasingly dangerous. Groups like ISIS and al Qaeda seek to sow chaos and destruction in our country, and often operate from war-torn and failed countries while leading their global terror network. It is crucial that we properly vet those seeking to come to America from these locations, and failing to do so puts us all in danger.
“Today’s order is also an important step towards restoring the separation of powers between the branches of the federal government. The Court’s decision recognizes that the Executive has the responsibility to protect the safety and security of the American people under the Constitution of the United States and its laws. The judiciary serves, pursuant to their oath, under the same Constitution and these same laws. This case raises profound questions about the proper balance of these constitutional powers, and we are eager to advance our views on these important issues.
“Through Article II of the Constitution, the founders of our country vested the Executive Branch with a great responsibility: to ensure the national security of our country. I am committed to defending the President's ability to exercise that responsibility and the Department of Justice is confident that the United States Supreme Court will uphold this constitutional and necessary executive order.”
Justice Department and State of Colorado File Complaint Against PDC Energy, Inc. for Alleged Clean Air Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Colorado, on behalf of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), today filed a civil complaint in federal court in Denver, Colorado, against PDC Energy, Inc. (PDC).
The complaint alleges violations of the Clean Air Act, the Colorado Air Pollution Prevention and Control Act, Colorado’s federally approved State Implementation Plan, and Colorado Air Quality Control Commission Regulation Number 7 (Regulation 7), for unlawful emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from storage tanks that are, or until recently were, part of PDC’s oil and natural gas production system in the Denver-Julesburg Basin (D-J Basin) located in Adams and Weld Counties, Colorado.
“Violations of environmental law will be pursued and punished,” said Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt. “We will work with our federal, state and local partners to punish those that violate the laws to the detriment of human health and the environment.”
“Reducing emissions from condensate storage tanks is a critical component of our efforts to bring the Denver Metro/North Front Range Area back into compliance with ground level ozone standards,” said Director of Environmental Programs Martha Rudolph of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “Colorado has been a leader in developing and implementing control requirements for these tanks and it is vitally important that we take the necessary steps to ensure that these requirements are uniformly followed.”
“Violating emissions standards endangers public health and can give violators an unfair advantage in the marketplace,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The United States will pursue all appropriate remedies against entities that violate our nation’s clean air laws.”
PDC owns or operates approximately 600 tank batteries in the D-J Basin that PDC has certified as being controlled to comply with Regulation 7’s system-wide VOC reduction requirements. The complaint alleges that at 86 tank batteries, and potentially hundreds more, PDC has violated numerous requirements in Regulation 7 intended to address VOC emissions from storage tanks. The complaint alleges that PDC failed to adequately design, operate and maintain vapor control systems on condensate storage tanks resulting in VOC emissions from pressure relief valves and openings on condensate storage tanks.
The complaint alleges that PDC’s failure to comply with these requirements has resulted in significant excess VOC emissions, a precursor to ground-level ozone. Ground-level ozone is a criteria pollutant, meaning that it causes or contributes to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare. PDC operates in an area where air quality does not meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone.
These allegations are consistent with those set forth in the Compliance Advisory in December 2015 and the Notice of Violation in May 2017 that were both issued by CDPHE to PDC.
According to the complaint, following the issuance of the 2015 Compliance Advisory, CDPHE inspectors conducted additional inspections of PDC tank batteries and observed VOC emissions from several of the same tank batteries covered by the 2015 Compliance Advisory. CDPHE inspectors also observed VOC emissions from PDC tank batteries not covered by the 2015 Compliance Advisory and issued the 2017 Notice of Violation to PDC identifying violations of Regulation 7 at the other PDC tank batteries.
The civil complaint filed today seeks injunctive relief and the assessment of civil penalties. A civil complaint does not preclude the government from seeking other legal remedies.
The Clean Air Act is the comprehensive federal law that regulates air emissions of criteria pollutants and hazardous air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources to protect public health and public welfare.
Virginia Woman Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Tax Returns and Using Customer IDs to Make Fraudulent Credit Card ChargesRead the Press Release
A Haymarket, Virginia woman was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison today for stealing customer IDs and filing a false tax return, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Dana Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to documents provided to the court, Karen Holtz worked for JMS Ventures Inc. (JMS), which did business as the Kenyan Collection, and imported and distributed handmade Kenyan goods. Holtz was responsible for taking, processing, and fulfilling customer orders, accepting customer payments, including charging customer credit cards, preparing customer invoices, keeping track of JMS’s inventory and maintaining JMS’s books and records. Between 2008 and 2013, Holtz wrote herself unauthorized checks from JMS’s bank account and unlawfully diverted customer payments made using PayPal by transferring the payments directly to her personal bank account. Holtz also used JMS’s customers’ personal identification information to make fraudulent charges to their credit cards. For tax years 2008 through 2013, Holtz filed false individual tax returns on which she failed to report more than $400,000 in income.
In addition to the term of prison imposed, Holtz was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay $529,544.81 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the victims of the fraud and identity theft scheme.
Acting Deputy Assistant General Goldberg and U.S. Attorney Boente thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine L. Wong and Trial Attorney Kimberly G. Ang of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Owners of New York Flower Business Plead Guilty to Obstructing the IRSRead the Press Release
The co-owners of a Great Neck, New York flower business, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the internal revenue laws, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, Adrian Benitez, 39, and Jose Ramirez, 44, co-owned and operated Metro Floral Decorators. Between 2007 and 2012, they obstructed the internal revenue laws by diverting more than $1 million in sales to their personal bank accounts instead of depositing the funds into the business bank account. They directed customers to pay in cash, checks payable to cash or checks payable to them personally. Benitez and Ramirez concealed these funds from their return preparer and filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) false individual income tax returns that did not report the money they diverted. They also did not report the full gross receipts on the firm’s corporate tax returns. Benitez admitted to causing a tax loss of approximately $227,729 and Ramirez admitted to causing a tax loss of approximately $235,805.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled before U.S. District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano. Benitez and Ramirez each face a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Jeffrey Bender and Brittney Campbell of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Department of Justice Files Statement of Interest Siding with Texas in SB4 LitigationRead the Press Release
Today the Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in City of El Cenizo, Texas, et. al vs. Texas, et. al, commonly known as the SB4 litigation.
The lawsuit was filed by several cities trying to block Texas’s SB4 law, which prohibits localities in Texas from implementing or maintaining policies that prevent local officials from sharing immigration-related information with the federal government. Additionally, SB4 directs local officials in Texas to cooperate with immigration detainer requests issued by the federal government under federal law.
The Department primarily argues that SB4 is not preempted by the Supremacy Clause, it is not inconsistent with the Tenth Amendment, and it does not violate the Fourth Amendment.
In filing the Statement of Interest, Attorney General Sessions provided the following statement:
“President Trump has made a commitment to keep America safe and to ensure cooperation with federal immigration laws. Texas has admirably followed his lead by mandating state-wide cooperation with federal immigration laws that require the removal of illegal aliens who have committed crimes.
“The Department of Justice fully supports Texas’s effort and is participating in this lawsuit because of the strong federal interest in facilitating the state and local cooperation that is critical in enforcing our nation’s immigration laws.”
Victoria Man Charged with Hate Crime in Burning of MosqueRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Victoria, Texas, has returned a three-count superseding indictment against Marq Vincent Perez, 25, for allegedly burning the Victoria Islamic Center on January 28, 2017.
Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez made the announcement along with Acting Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Wheeler II of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Fred Milanowski of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI and various state and local law enforcement agencies.
Perez was previously indicted for possession of an unregistered destructive device for an incident that occurred on January 15, 2017. The superseding indictment returned today now charges him with a hate crime – damage to a religious property as well as use of a fire to commit a federal felony in relation to the arson at the mosque.
Perez was initially arrested and charged March 3, 2017, in connection with an attempt to blow up a car with a destructive device. At a detention hearing held the following week, court heard evidence linking Perez to a January 22, 2017, burglary of the Victoria Islamic Center as well as a January 28, 2017, burglary and arson of the same mosque. Perez is in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
If convicted, Perez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the hate crime. He also faces up to 10 years for possessing an unregistered destructive device. If convicted of use of a fire to commit a felony, the penalty is a consecutive and mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. All of the counts also carry a potential $250,000 penalty.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
ATF and FBI conducted the investigation along with the City of Victoria Fire Marshal’s Office, Victoria Fire Department, Victoria Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division and Texas Rangers with assistance of Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office and sheriff’s offices in Victoria and Nueces Counties.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad S. Khandelwal and Kate Suh are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Reminder Regarding EOIR’s Fraud and Abuse Prevention ProgramRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – As applications for relief or protection from removal rise in immigration proceedings, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) reminds the public of the role of EOIR’s Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program in safeguarding the validity of those proceedings and of the need for vigilance in combating immigration fraud.
"Application and benefit fraud in immigration proceedings undermines the overall integrity of the immigration law system, places unwarranted burdens on taxpayers, and puts public safety and national security at risk,” said Acting Director James McHenry. “Every fraudulent application further burdens a system already facing a critical backlog, and EOIR is committed, through its Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program, to identifying and addressing fraud in the immigration system."
EOIR's Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program was created as a result of a directive in 2006 by then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. By regulation, EOIR’s General Counsel has designated an anti-fraud officer to:
(i) Serve as a point of contact relating to concerns about possible fraud upon EOIR, particularly with respect to matters relating to fraudulent applications or documents affecting multiple removal proceedings, applications for relief from removal, appeals, or other proceedings before EOIR;
(ii) Coordinate with investigative authorities of the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and other appropriate agencies with respect to the identification of and response to such fraud; and
(iii) Notify the EOIR disciplinary counsel and other appropriate authorities with respect to instances of fraud, misrepresentation, or abuse pertaining to an attorney or accredited representative.
Since 2006, EOIR’s Fraud and Abuse Prevention Program has handled more than 700 cases. It works closely with other agencies to investigate fraud in all forms and to refer cases for criminal prosecution if warranted. It also coordinates with EOIR’s Attorney Discipline Program to seek discipline of attorneys or accredited representatives who commit, enable, or induce fraud.
It provides extensive training to EOIR personnel on identifying and reporting fraud. For the public, it operates a dedicated fraud hotline at 877-388-3840 and accepts email referrals at [email protected]. More information about this program may be found in the Program’s factsheet.
https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/eoirfraudprogramfactsheetjune2017/download
Wisconsin Produce Vendor Corporate Officer Indicted for Tax Evasion, Failing to File Corporate Tax Returns and StructuringRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Madison, Wisconsin indicted a Johnson Creek, Wisconsin produce vendor corporate officer today for tax evasion, failure to file a corporate tax return, and structuring currency transactions, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Jeffrey M. Anderson for the Western District of Wisconsin.
According to the indictment, during the relevant timeframe, Thomas G. Paine was the Vice President and Treasurer of G.W. Paine Inc., which sold fresh fruit and other produce under the business name Tree Ripe Citrus Company. Paine was allegedly responsible for the finance and tax aspects of the company. The indictment alleges that Paine failed to file corporate tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for 2010 through 2012 and attempted to evade the taxes due and owing by G.W. Paine Inc. According to the indictment, Paine concealed the company’s income by structuring cash deposits so they were made in amounts less than $10,000 in order to evade the bank’s reporting requirements. Banks are required to file reports with the U.S. Treasury for cash deposits exceeding $10,000. These reports include the identity of the person who conducted the transaction. The indictment alleges that from 2012 through 2013, Paine structured more than $400,000.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Paine faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion counts, one year in prison for each of the failure to file counts and 10 years in prison for each of the structuring counts.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg and Acting U.S. Attorney Anderson commended special agents of the IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman and Trial Attorney Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
U.S. District Court Blocks EnergySolutions’ Acquisition of Waste Control SpecialistsRead the Press Release
Senior Judge Sue L. Robinson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware today ruled in favor of the Justice Department’s civil antitrust lawsuit to block radioactive waste disposal provider EnergySolutions’ $367 million acquisition of rival Waste Control Specialists. Judge Robinson entered an order ruling in favor of the United States and enjoining the merger.
“Substantial evidence showed that head-to-head competition between EnergySolutions and Waste Control Specialists led to better disposal services at lower prices,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Andrew Finch of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Today’s decision protects competition in an industry that is incredibly difficult to enter. While EnergySolutions’ preference was to buy its main rival rather than continue to compete to win business, today’s decision ensures that customers will benefit from the competitive process.”
The Court’s decision follows a 10-day trial that concluded in May. The Justice Department filed suit in November 2016, alleging that the proposed acquisition would combine the two most significant competitors for the disposal of low-level radioactive waste available to commercial customers in 36 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Steven Wang aka Shui Cheng Wang Sentenced to Prison in Immigration CasesRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant STEVEN WANG, aka SHUI CHENG WANG, age 53, from Tamuning, was sentenced today in District Court to a 57-month term of imprisonment for Mail Fraud, Visa Fraud, Money Laundering, and Willful Failure to Pay Over Tax. WANG was also sentenced in a separate case to 57 months of imprisonment for Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud. The District Court ordered the terms to run consecutive. WANG will serve 114 months in federal prison for both cases. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment, in addition to a mandatory $500 assessment fee for both cases. WANG was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,622,352.98 to former Hua Sheng workers, $186,312.59 to the Internal Revenue Service, and $96,781 to an individual identified as J.P.W.
On January 30, 2012, WANG entered a guilty plea to an Indictment that charged Mail Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1341; Visa Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546(a); Money Laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957; and Willful Failure to Pay Over Tax, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 7202. WANG, as general manager of Hua Sheng International Group Corporation Limited (Hua Sheng), fraudulently petitioned over 173 H-2B workers. He represented that the workers would earn the Guam prevailing hourly wage for their occupations. WANG, among other things, further caused his office workers to print checks in the name of each Hua Sheng H-2B worker. The checks reflected the amount of legal wages owed and the appropriate deductions for Guam income tax, and Social Security and Medicare withholding. However, WANG never gave these checks to his workers. The investigation revealed that WANG actually paid the workers below prevailing wages, loaned them as labor to other companies, and housed them in deplorable conditions. WANG also falsely represented to Guam Department of Labor that Hua Sheng H-2B workers had departed Guam, when in fact they still remained on island.
While pending sentencing for the Hua Sheng matter, WANG also entered a guilty plea to a charge of Conspiracy to Commit Visa Fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1546(a) and 2. WANG worked for Dalian Hongda Baiye Group (USA), Inc., which was used by WANG to facilitate the fraud. WANG attempted to secure an L1 nonimmigrant visa for J.P.W. WANG further accepted approximately $96,781 knowing that J.P.W. had never worked for Dalian Hongda Baiye Group Co. Ltd., in China, all in violation of the L1 nonimmigrant visa requirements.
Acting U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “This case demonstrates the importance of combined federal and local enforcement efforts to uphold the integrity of the H-2B visa program. The Hua Sheng workers suffered substantial financial losses as a result of Wang’s conduct. The Court’s sentencing order sends a strong message of accountability that these workers deserve.
The Guam business community continues to face difficulties in hiring qualified United States workers. The ability of employers to seek temporary relief though the H-2B visa program is diminished by those who engage in dishonest business practices that poison the foreign labor pools on which the program relies. This case further demonstrates the ongoing commitment by the Department of Justice to promote lawfulness in our immigration system.”
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage & Hour Division working together with Guam Department of Labor. The case was prosecuted by Stephen F. Leon Guerrero, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Statement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the Bishop International Airport Attack in Flint, MichiganRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued the following statement on the attack at Bishop International Airport in Flint, Michigan:
“I’ve just spoken with officials at the FBI about the attack on a police officer in Flint, Michigan that is being investigated as an act of terrorism. President Trump has prioritized the safety of all law enforcement officers, and this Department of Justice is committed to that goal. I want to assure all our law enforcement across the nation, any attack on someone who serves and protects our citizens will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I am proud of the swift response from the FBI and our federal prosecutors and their partnership with local police and the Canadian authorities. Our prayers are with the officer and his family for a full recovery.”
Two International Shipping Companies Pay $1.9 Million for Covering up Vessel PollutionRead the Press Release
Two shipping companies based in Egypt and Singapore pleaded guilty today in federal court in Beaumont, Texas, to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and obstruction of justice for covering up the illegal dumping of oil-contaminated bilge water and garbage from one of their ships into the sea.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas, announced the plea agreement. The agreement includes a $1.9 million dollar penalty and requires marine and coastal restoration efforts at three National Wildlife Refuges located on the Gulf of Mexico in East Texas, where the offending vessel transited and made port stops.
“This case involved egregious violations of U.S. and international laws that are key to protecting the oceans from pollution, and deliberate efforts to mislead U.S. Coast Guard officials about these criminal acts,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood. “The Department of Justice will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal acts that pollute the oceans.”
“Intentional acts of pollution in the Gulf of Mexico and Texas wetlands will not be tolerated, and violators such as defendants, Egyptian Tanker Company and Thome Ship Management, will be held responsible for their conduct,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas. “Our citizens depend on clean water for their recreation and their livelihood. This kind of irresponsible conduct threatens both.”
Defendants Egyptian Tanker Company and Thome Ship Management are the owner and operator of the 57,920 gross ton, 809-foot long, ocean-going, oil tank ship called the M/T ETC MENA. Large ships like the M/T ETC MENA generate oil-contaminated bilge waste when water mixes in the bottom or bilges of the ship with oil that has leaked from the ship’s engines and other areas. This waste must be processed to separate the water from the oil and other wastes by using pollution prevention equipment, including an Oily Water Separator (OWS), before being discharged into the sea. These large ships also generate garbage, including ash from the incinerators, steel, and other non-organic wastes, which are collected in plastic bags and stored onboard until they can be disposed of properly at shore-side facilities. APPS requires that the disposal of the ship’s bilge waste and garbage be fully recorded in the ship’s Oil Record Book and Garbage Record Book.
The investigation began on April 26, 2016, when the U.S. Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Unit in Port Arthur, Texas, received information from a crew member on the M/T ETC MENA that the ship had illegally dumped bilge waste overboard into the ocean. The crewmember provided a written statement, photographs, and video of the alleged conduct. During the inspection of the ship that same day, the Coast Guard found a pump covered in oil submerged in the ship’s bilge primary tank that looked similar to the pump that the crew member said was used to pump the bilge waste overboard.
“Environmental crimes put the marine environment and our natural resources at risk,” said Rear Admiral Dave Callahan, Commander, Eighth Coast Guard District. “This case serves as another example that the United States will not tolerate these actions and violators will be held accountable. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, the Coast Guard Investigative Service, and the Department of Justice should be commended for their tireless efforts and cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this case.”
In pleading guilty, the companies admitted that its crew members bypassed the ships OWS and discharged bilge water into the ocean in March 2016 without it first passing through this pollution prevention equipment. The government’s investigation also revealed that crew members were instructed to throw plastic garbage bags filled with metal and incinerator ash into the sea in March 2016. The discharge of bilge water without using the OWS and of plastic garbage into the ocean was not entered into the ship’s Oil Record Book and Garbage Record Book in violation of APPS. The companies also pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice for presenting these false documents to the Coast Guard during the inspection in Port Arthur, Texas.
The companies will be placed on a four-year term of probation that includes a comprehensive environmental compliance plan to ensure, among other things, that all of ships operated by Thome Ship Management that come to the United States fully comply with all applicable marine environmental protection requirements established by national and international laws. The compliance plan will be implemented by an independent auditing company and supervised by a court-appointed monitor.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte of the Eastern District of Texas, Senior Trial Attorney David P. Kehoe, and Trial Attorney John D. Cashman at the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by the Coast Guard’s Investigative Service.
Peter Mendiola Diego Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant PETER MENDIOLA DIEGO, age 48, from Tamuning, was sentenced yesterday in District Court to a 63-month term of imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Court also ordered 3 years of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On February 24, 2016, DIEGO entered a guilty plea to an Information that charged Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The investigation revealed that DIEGO and others arranged to have over 831.6 grams of methamphetamine mailed from California to his place of employment in Guam. Forensic analysis determined the drugs were 97.3% pure. Federal agents also seized U.S. currency, including $237,230.00 from defendant’s residence. The money was owed to DIEGO’s source of supply for ice. Defendant agreed to the forfeiture of the seized funds.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. case was prosecuted by Belinda Alcantara, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Peter Mendiola Diego Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant PETER MENDIOLA DIEGO, age 48, from Tamuning, was sentenced yesterday in District Court to a 63-month term of imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Court also ordered 3 years of supervised release, 50 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On February 24, 2016, DIEGO entered a guilty plea to an Information that charged Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The investigation revealed that DIEGO and others arranged to have over 831.6 grams of methamphetamine mailed from California to his place of employment in Guam. Forensic analysis determined the drugs were 97.3% pure. Federal agents also seized U.S. currency, including $237,230.00 from defendant’s residence. The money was owed to DIEGO’s source of supply for ice. Defendant agreed to the forfeiture of the seized funds.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Belinda Alcantara, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
On “American Eagle Day” the Justice Department Highlights its Longstanding Role in Protecting the Nation’s Eagle PopulationsRead the Press Release
In recognition of June 20, 2017, as American Eagle Day, Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) issued the following statement:
“Our Division is proud to play a central role in the protection of the bald eagle, our national symbol and a distinctive emblem of freedom and the sovereignty of the United States. Over the course of many years, the lawyers in our Division have worked to promote conservation of lands and resources across the United States and to enforce federal laws protecting our natural treasures, including wildlife like bald eagles, golden eagles, and other raptors. As we celebrate American Eagle Day, we also honor the work of our client agencies—the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service at the U.S. Department of Interior, in particular—as well as state conservation agencies and private citizens around the nation for their vital work in this area.”
On June 15, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating June 20, 2017, as “American Eagle Day” and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle. By 1963, only an estimated 417 nesting pairs of bald eagles remained in the lower 48 states. Through the extraordinary efforts of American citizens around the country, including state and federal agencies, conservations groups, and private landowners, the bald eagle once again began to flourish. By 2007, the number of nesting pairs of eagles in the lower 48 states increased to approximately 11,000, and the Secretary of the Interior and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ultimately determined that the bald eagle is no longer endangered or threatened.
The attorneys in the Environment and Natural Resources Division at the U.S. Department of Justice have a key role in efforts related to bald eagle protection under the laws passed by Congress, including the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Lacey Act. The Division’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section represents the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other wildlife agencies in litigation involving the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other federal wildlife conservation laws. The Division’s Environmental Crimes Section brings criminal cases against individuals and organizations that break the laws that protect our nation’s ecological and wildlife resources.
The bald eagle is prominently featured in the official seal of the U.S. Department of Justice.
For more information about the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, please visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/enrd.
Justice Department and the State of New York Settle Claims over Voter Registration OpportunitiesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has entered an agreement with the State of New York to resolve claims it failed to provide voter registration opportunities required by Section 5 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).
Section 5 of the NVRA requires states to provide voter registration opportunities for federal elections when eligible citizens apply for or seek to renew their driver’s license or other identification documents through state motor vehicle offices. Section 5 also requires states to update voter registration records when registrants update the address associated with a driver’s license or other identification document, unless the registrant indicates otherwise.
Justice Department’s investigation found noncompliance with these NVRA requirements in New York State. Applications for New York driver’s licenses, learner’s permits, and identification cards did not consistently serve as applications for voter registration with respect to elections for federal office, as required by the NVRA. Moreover, the procedures by which citizens notified motor vehicle authorities that their address had changed did not consistently serve as notification of a change of address for voter registration purposes, as the NVRA requires.
“Our democracy is strengthened when voter registration is accessible to all eligible citizens,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division commends the State of New York for working with the Division to ensure that New York’s citizens have the opportunity to register to vote and update their voting information easily and conveniently through motor vehicle agencies, as envisioned by the National Voter Registration Act.”
Under the terms of the settlement, New York will fully integrate a voter registration opportunity into all applications for a driver’s license and other identification documents, including in-person and online renewal applications. New York will also ensure that all change of address information submitted for driver’s license purposes will be used to update voters’ address information unless voters decline to update their voter registration. The State has worked diligently throughout the settlement process to bring about NVRA compliance.
“The Motor Voter provision of the NVRA critically supports and enhances our citizens’ access to the democratic process,” said U.S. Attorney Rick Hartunian of the Northern District of New York. “I commend our many state officials for their hard work in reaching this agreement and for their commitment to protecting and promoting voting rights in New York.”
More information about the National Voter Registration Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justice website at https://www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section. Complaints about voter registration practices may be reported to the Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Obstructing the IRS and Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
A Boynton Beach, Florida resident pleaded guilty today to corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of the internal revenue laws and theft of government funds, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, from 2010 to 2015, David R. Andre, 41, filed fraudulent personal tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that sought more than $5.6 million in refunds to which he was not entitled. As a result of these returns, which falsely reported income earned and income tax withheld, the IRS paid Andre more than $485,000 in refunds. He used the funds to purchase his residence and multiple vehicles, including a Jaguar and Mercedes Benz. In late 2012, the IRS began trying to collect the taxes Andre owed and placed a lien on his residence. Days after the lien was recorded, Andre filed a form with the IRS that falsely claimed he was making a substantial payment, and the IRS released the lien. After Andre did not make the payment, the IRS revoked its release and re-filed the lien. In 2015, Andre also made false statements to IRS agents and told them that he purchased his residence with money he inherited, did not recall receiving any large refunds from the IRS and had not filed a tax return since 2008.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 8. Andre faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws and a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for theft of government funds. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, forfeiture and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Daniel McGraw and Charles Edgar, Jr. of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case. Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida for its substantial assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Attorney General Sessions Announces Creation of National Public Safety Partnership to Combat Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
As the Department of Justice continues its efforts to fulfill President Trump’s commitment to reducing violent crime in America, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today that 12 cities are joining the Department’s newly organized National Public Safety Partnership (PSP). The announcement came during the opening session of a national summit organized by the Attorney General’s Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety. The summit convened federal, state and local law enforcement to discuss how to support and replicate successful local violent crime reduction efforts.
A list of the cities is posted at www.nationalpublicsafetypartnership.org.
“Turning back the recent troubling increase in violent crime in our country is a top priority of the Department of Justice and the Trump Administration, as we work to fulfill the President’s promise to make America safe again,” said Attorney General Sessions. “The Department of Justice will work with American cities suffering from serious violent crime problems. There is no doubt that there are many strategies that are proven to reduce crime. Our new National Public Safety Partnership program will help these communities build up their own capacity to fight crime, by making use of data-driven, evidence-based strategies tailored to specific local concerns, and by drawing upon the expertise and resources of our Department.”
The Justice Department created PSP and the task force in response to President Trump’s February 9, 2017, Executive Order charging the agency with leading a national effort to combat violent crime. The partnership provides a framework for enhancing federal support of state, local and tribal law enforcement officials and prosecutors as they aggressively investigate and pursue violent criminals, specifically those involved in gun crime, drug trafficking and gang violence.
Twelve sites have been selected to receive this significant assistance:
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Toledo, Ohio
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Buffalo, New York
- Cincinnati, Ohio
- Houston, Texas
- Jackson, Tennessee
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Lansing, Michigan
- Springfield, Illinois
We anticipate announcing additional sites this calendar year.
The Justice Department agencies involved in PSP are the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Office of Justice Programs; the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Office on Violence Against Women; and the Office of Community Oriented Policing.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to reduce violent crime and enhance public safety:
Attorney General Announces Crime Reduction and Public Safety Task Force
Attorney General Sessions Directs Federal Prosecutors to Target Most Significant Violent Offenders
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces New Initiatives to Advance Forensic Science and Help Counter the Rise in Violent Crime
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Announces New Actions to Support Law Enforcement and Maintain Public Safety in Indian Country
Department of Justice Releases Report Detailing the Prosecutions of Transnational Criminal Organizations and their Subsidiaries
Attorney General Sessions Issues Charging and Sentencing Guidelines to Federal Prosecutors
Bernard J. Mendoza Sentenced to Prison in Ice Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, Acting United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant BERNARD J. MENDOZA, age 33, from Yigo, was sentenced today in District Court to a 37-month term of imprisonment for attempted possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Court also ordered three years of supervised release following imprisonment, in addition to a mandatory $100 assessment fee. Federal law provides that defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On September 19, 2016, MENDOZA entered a guilty plea to an Indictment that charged Attempted Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The investigation revealed that MENDOZA had over 56 grams of methamphetamine and 56 grams of marijuana shipped by FedEx to his place of employment in Guam from the state of Colorado. Forensic examination revealed that the methamphetamine was 98% pure.
The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta San Nicolas, an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Guam.
Appointments of Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney GeneralRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein today announced that Robert K. Hur will serve as the Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General and James A. Crowell IV will be the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Attorney General.
“Robert Hur and James Crowell have served with distinction in a variety of roles in the Department of Justice,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “Their experience and judgment will advance our efforts to deter crime, promote the rule of law, and ensure equal justice for everyone.”
ROBERT K. HUR
Hur previously was a law firm partner in Washington, D.C., where he represented clients in criminal and regulatory enforcement actions before the U.S. Justice Department, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and other federal agencies, as well as related civil litigation. Hur also served as Hiring Partner for the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. From 2003 to 2005, he served at Main Justice as Special Assistant and later Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Criminal Division, where he handled counterterrorism, corporate fraud, and appellate matters.
Hur also served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland from 2007 to 2014, where he prosecuted complex financial and regulatory offenses, including financial institutions fraud, criminal violations of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, mortgage fraud, tax offenses, and public corruption as well as intellectual property-related matters involving electronic surveillance, computer network intrusions, and theft of intellectual property. Hur received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for superior performance and excellence as a lawyer.
Hur began his legal career as a law clerk for the late William H. Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States, and Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Hur received his A.B. from Harvard College and his J.D. from Stanford Law School.
JAMES A. CROWELL IV
Before joining the Deputy Attorney General's office, Crowell was the Criminal Chief in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, where he oversaw the work of over 85 Assistant U.S. Attorneys involved in criminal prosecutions, including national security, violent crime, fraud and corruption, cybercrime, narcotics, asset forfeiture, and money laundering, as well as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, Project Safe Child, Project Safe Neighborhoods, and related anti-crime programs. Crowell also served as the Chief of the Southern Division. Crowell has worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland since 2007, when he began as an Assistant United States Attorney.
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, from 2003 to 2007, Crowell was a Trial Attorney in the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, the office that oversees the federal effort to combat corruption through the prosecution of officials and employees at all levels of government. Crowell is the recipient of numerous law enforcement awards, including all three of the Department of Defense’s highest civilian awards, recognizing his effort to combat contract fraud and corruption involving military contracts. For his prosecution of public corruption cases, Crowell received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for superior performance and excellence as a lawyer.
Crowell began his career with the Department through the Attorney General’s Honors program as a Trial Attorney in the Antitrust Division’s Criminal Section in 2001, following his clerkship with Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Crowell received his B.A. from Hampden-Sydney College and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law. Crowell has also served in the United States Army Reserve since 1994.
Justice Department Expresses Concerns to Kansas Real Estate Commission Regarding Regulation That Would Prohibit Real Estate Agents from Offering Gift Cards to Home BuyersRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division sent a letter to the Kansas Real Estate Commission expressing its concerns regarding K.A.R. 86-3-32, a proposed regulation that would bar Kansas real estate brokers from offering gift cards to home buyers. According to the Division, this regulation would reduce competition and the likely effect would be to harm home buyers in Kansas.
A copy of the Division’s June 16, 2017, letter is attached.
Georgia Real Estate Investor Convicted of Bid Rigging and Bank Fraud at Public Foreclosure AuctionsRead the Press Release
A federal jury convicted a real estate investor of bid rigging and bank fraud related to public foreclosure auctions held in Georgia, the Department of Justice announced today.
Douglas L. Purdy was convicted today following a two-week trial before the Honorable Richard W. Story in Gainesville, Georgia. The jury convicted Purdy on one count of bid rigging and two counts of bank fraud for participating in the charged conspiracy and scheme at Forsyth County, Georgia, foreclosure auctions from 2008 to 2011.
The evidence at trial showed that Purdy and his co-conspirators agreed not to compete for real estate at foreclosure auctions in Forsyth County and defrauded lender banks and homeowners. Among other methods, the conspirators held secret “second auctions” of properties they had obtained through rigged bids, dividing among themselves the auction proceeds that should have gone to pay off debts against the properties and, in some cases, to homeowners.
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment against Purdy on Feb. 3, 2016. Including Purdy’s conviction, 23 real estate investors have either pleaded guilty or been convicted after trial as a result of the Department’s ongoing antitrust investigations into bid rigging at public foreclosure auctions in the Atlanta area.
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal II Section and the FBI’s Atlanta Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to real estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Washington Criminal II Section of the Antitrust Division at 202-598-4000 or call the FBI tip line at 415-553-7400.
Former Owner of Marble Mining Company in Afghanistan Indicted for Allegedly Defrauding U.S. Government Agency and Defaulting on a $15.8 Million LoanRead the Press Release
The former owner of a now-defunct marble mining company in Afghanistan was charged in an indictment unsealed today with allegedly defrauding the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a U.S. government agency, and defaulting on a $15.8 million loan.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko and Assistant Director in Charge Andrew W. Vale of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Azam Doost, aka Adam Doost, Mohammad Azam Doost and Mohammad Azim (Doost), 39, most recently of Union City, California, was charged in an indictment filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia with three counts of major fraud against the United States, eight counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statements on loan applications or extensions and eight counts of money laundering. The indictment also has a forfeiture notice.
The indictment alleges that in February 2010, while working at his company, Equity Capital Mining LLC, Doost, along with his brother, obtained a $15.8 million loan from OPIC for the development, maintenance and operation of a marble mine in western Afghanistan. The loan proceeds were paid directly from OPIC to the alleged vendors who provided equipment for the mine, as reported to OPIC by Doost or his consultant. Doost was required to deal with these companies in arms-length transactions or, to the extent any transactions were other than at arms-length, he was required to report any affiliation he had with a vendor. Doost informed OPIC that he had no affiliation with any of the alleged vendors with whom he dealt, when in fact he allegedly had financial relationships with several of them. The indictment alleges that Doost’s business partner was listed with the bank for a number of these alleged vendors and, upon receipt of money from OPIC into the respective accounts, significant amounts of this money were then transferred from that respective account to companies and individuals with whom Doost was associated, or to pay debts Doost owed. Doost’s consultant allegedly received a commission of $444,000 for his alleged consulting services with the first of three disbursements from OPIC, and shortly after $40,000 was transferred from his account to a Doost company in California
The indictment further alleges that when the time came for Equity Capital Mining LLC to repay the loan to OPIC, Doost provided purported reasons to OPIC why it was not able to make those repayments at a time when Doost had control of sufficient funds to make those repayments. Doost and his brother failed to repay any of the principal on the OPIC loan, and only a limited amount of interest, and ultimately defaulted on the loan, the indictment alleges.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
SIGAR, with assistance from the FBI, investigated the case. Trial Attorney Daniel Butler of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
Executive Office for Immigration Review Swears in 11 Immigration JudgesRead the Press Release
FALLS CHURCH, VA – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) today announced the investiture of 11 new immigration judges, bringing the agency’s total to 326. Deputy Chief Immigration Judge Print Maggard presided over the investiture during a ceremony held this afternoon at EOIR headquarters in Falls Church, Va.
After a thorough application process, Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Olga Attia, David Cheng, Scott D. Criss, Christopher M. Greer, Catherine E. Halliday-Roberts, Elizabeth G. Lang, Eric W. Marsteller, Jennifer L. Page-Lozano, Helaine R. Perlman, Frank T. Pimentel, and Michael S. Pleters to their new positions.
“We are excited to welcome these individuals to the immigration judge corps, and their arrival will significantly increase our adjudicatory capacity in immigration courts as we work to address a backlog of pending cases,” said Acting Director James McHenry. “The continued hiring of new immigration judges as quickly as possible is an important component of EOIR’s multi-step effort to address the backlog, which also includes maximizing the use and effectiveness of our current adjudicatory capacity, upgrading our technology to process cases more efficiently, and reviewing internal practices and procedures in order to identify ways in which we can enhance immigration judge productivity without compromising due process.”
Biographical information follows.
Olga Attia, Immigration Judge, Otay Mesa Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Olga Attia to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Attia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993 from the California State University at Long Beach and a Juris Doctor in 1996 from the University of San Diego School of Law. From 2003 to 2017, she served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in San Diego, Calif. From 1997 to 2003, she served as an assistant district counsel for the Office of District Counsel, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice, also in San Diego. From 1996 to 1997, she served as a judicial law clerk at the San Diego, El Centro, and Hawaii immigration courts, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice, entering on duty through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Judge Attia is a member of the California State Bar.
David Cheng, Immigration Judge, Newark Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed David Cheng to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Cheng earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 from the State University of New York at Albany and a Juris Doctor in 1997 from St. John’s University School of Law. From 2002 to 2017, he served as a senior attorney for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Newark, N.J. From 2000 to 2002, he served as an administrative law judge for the New York City Department of Finance. From 1997 to 2000, he was a general partner at Cheng and Cheng P.C., in New York, N.Y. Judge Cheng is a member of the New York State Bar.
Scott D. Criss, Immigration Judge, Atlanta Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Scott D. Criss to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Criss earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2002 from the California State University at Long Beach and a Juris Doctor in 2005 from The John Marshall Law School. From 2008 to 2017, he served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Charlotte, N.C. From 2006 to 2008, he served as an assistant state’s attorney for the Criminal Traffic Division, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, in Chicago, Ill. From 2004 to 2005, he served as an assistant state’s attorney for the Criminal Appellate Division, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Judge Criss is a member of the Illinois State Bar.
Christopher M. Greer, Immigration Judge, Salt Lake City Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Christopher M. Greer to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Greer earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from the University of Utah, and a Master of Laws in 2003 from The Army Judge Advocate General’s School. From 2015 to 2017, he served as deputy chief trial judge at the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary in Washington, D.C. From 2013 to 2015, and 2006 to 2008, he served as a trial judge at the Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, Eastern Judicial Circuit at Camp Lejeune, N.C. From 2008 to 2013, he served as a senior legal advisor in Quantico, Va. and Cherry Point, N.C. From 2003 to 2006, he served as an operational law attorney in North Carolina, deploying to both Afghanistan and Iraq. From 1999 to 2002, he served as an attorney advisor and supervisory defense counsel in Naples, Italy. From 1996 to 1999, he served as defense counsel and senior prosecutor in Twentynine Palms, Calif. From 1993 to 1996, he served as a legal assistance attorney and prosecutor in Okinawa, Japan. Judge Greer is a member of the Utah State Bar.
Catherine E. Halliday-Roberts, Immigration Judge, Otay Mesa Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Catherine E. Halliday-Roberts to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Halliday-Roberts earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998 from the University of Dayton and a Juris Doctor in 2002 from the Valparaiso University School of Law. From 2008 to 2017, she served as a deputy chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in San Diego, Calif. From 2003 to 2008, she served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, ICE, DHS, in Los Angeles and Lancaster, Calif. From 2002 to 2003, she served as an assistant district counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice, entering on duty through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Since 2002, she has been an associate professor at Santa Monica College. Judge Halliday-Roberts is a member of the California State Bar.
Elizabeth G. Lang, Immigration Judge, Chicago Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Elizabeth G. Lang to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Lang earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998 from Grinnell College and a Master of Arts degree and Juris Doctor in 2004 from the University of Virginia. From 2008 to 2017, she served as an assistant chief counsel for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Orlando, Fla. From 2013 to 2014, she served as an associate legal advisor for ICE, DHS, also in Orlando. From 2006 to 2008, she served as an assistant county attorney for the Stafford County Attorney’s Office, in Stafford, Va. From 2004 to 2006, she served as a law clerk at the Alexandria Circuit Court, in Alexandria, Va. Judge Lang is a member of the Florida and Virginia State Bars.
Eric W. Marsteller, Immigration Judge, New Orleans Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Eric W. Marsteller to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Marsteller earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2000 from Tulane University and a Juris Doctor in 2004 from The George Washington University Law School. From 2012 to 2017, he served as a senior litigation counsel for the Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL), Civil Division, Department of Justice. From 2004 to 2012, he served as a trial attorney for OIL, entering on duty through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. Judge Marsteller is a member of the Virginia State Bar.
Jennifer L. Page-Lozano, Immigration Judge, Miami Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Jennifer L. Page-Lozano to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Page-Lozano earned a Master of Public Health degree in 2003 from the University of South Florida and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from the Stetson University School of Law. From 2015 to 2017, she served as an attorney advisor for the Board of Immigration Appeals, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice. From 2009 to 2015, she served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Orlando, Fla. From 2006 to 2009, she was an attorney at Page-Lozano, P.A., in Tampa, Fla. Judge Page-Lozano is a member of the Florida and Minnesota State Bars.
Helaine R. Perlman, Immigration Judge, Arlington Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Helaine R. Perlman to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Perlman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997 from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor in 2002 from New York University School of Law. From 2016 to 2017, she served as deputy general counsel for the Office of General Counsel (OGC), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Department of Justice (DOJ). From 2013 to 2016, she served as senior counsel for immigration for OGC, EOIR, DOJ. From 2011 to 2013, she served as associate general counsel for OGC, EOIR, DOJ. From 2002 to 2011, she was an associate attorney at Hogan Lovells LLP, in Washington, D.C. Judge Perlman is a member of the District of Columbia and the Maryland State Bars.
Frank T. Pimentel, Immigration Judge, Port Isabel Immigration Court
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Frank T. Pimentel to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Pimentel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987 and a Juris Doctor in 1994 from the University of Notre Dame. From 2012 to 2017, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York in Buffalo, N.Y. From 2009 to 2012, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, in Laredo, Texas. From 2004 to 2009, he was a senior associate attorney at Mintz Levin Cohn Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. in Washington, D.C. From 1999 to 2004, he was an associate attorney at Reed Smith LLP, in Falls Church, Va. From 1995 to 1999, he served as an assistant public defender for the Monroe County Public Defender’s Office in Rochester, N.Y. From 1994 to 1995, he clerked for the Honorable David G. Larimer, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York. From 1987 to 1990, he served as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Turkey. Judge Pimentel is a member of the New York State Bar.
Michael S. Pleters, Immigration Judge, El Paso Service Processing Center
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Michael S. Pleters to begin hearing cases in July 2017. Judge Pleters earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987 from Columbia University and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. From 1999 to 2017, he served as an assistant chief counsel for the Office of Chief Counsel, Department of Homeland Security, in El Paso, Texas. From 2011 to 2014, he served as a special assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. From 1994 to 1999, he served as an assistant district attorney for the Office of the District Attorney, 34th Judicial District, also in El Paso. From 1992 to 1994, he served as a law clerk for the Honorable Harry Lee Hudspeth, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, Western District of Texas. Judge Pleters is a member of the Texas and New York State Bars.
Virginia Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Not Paying More Than $600,000 in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
A former Hampton, Virginia business owner pleaded guilty today to failing to pay over employment taxes, announced Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, John E. Manley, 71, owned and operated Manley’s Service Co. Inc. (MSC), a heating, ventilation and cooling maintenance business in the Hampton, Virginia area since 1971. As president of MSC, Manley exercised significant control over the firm’s financial affairs and had final decision-making authority regarding its business activities. Between 2010 and 2014, Manley failed to pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $611,564.83 in payroll taxes and, beginning in March 2012, he caused MSC to stop filing employment tax returns. Manley also filed personal income tax returns for 2010 through 2014 on which he falsely reported that MSC had withheld payroll taxes from his wages and paid the withholdings to the IRS. He caused MSC to stop timely filing corporate tax returns after 2010. Manley has admitted to causing a tax loss of more than $929,491.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 22. Manley faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Goldberg commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Robert J. Boudreau and David Zisserson of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Statement by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Anonymous AllegationsRead the Press Release
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein today issued the following statement:
“Americans should exercise caution before accepting as true any stories attributed to anonymous ‘officials,’ particularly when they do not identify the country – let alone the branch or agency of government – with which the alleged sources supposedly are affiliated. Americans should be skeptical about anonymous allegations. The Department of Justice has a long-established policy to neither confirm nor deny such allegations.”
Northern California Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging at Public Foreclosure AuctionsRead the Press Release
A Northern California real estate investor pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.
California real estate investor Ramin Rad “Ray” Yeganeh pleaded guilty to one count of bid rigging in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Oakland. He was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Northern District of California on June 25, 2015.
According to court documents, as early as September 2008 and continuing until in or about January 2011, Yeganeh conspired with others not to bid against one another, instead designating a winning bidder to obtain selected properties at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Alameda County. The selected properties were then awarded to the conspirators who submitted the highest bids in second, private auctions. The private auctions often took place at or near the courthouse steps where the public auctions were held.
The Department determined that the primary purpose of the conspiracies was to suppress and eliminate competition in order to obtain selected real estate offered at Alameda County public foreclosure auctions at noncompetitive prices. When real estate properties are sold at these auctions, the proceeds are used to pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property, with remaining proceeds, if any, paid to the homeowner.
The guilty plea entered yesterday was the result of the Department’s ongoing investigation into bid rigging at public real estate foreclosure auctions in San Francisco, San Mateo, Contra Costa and Alameda counties, California. To date, 60 individuals have agreed to plead or have pleaded guilty.
These investigations are being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s San Francisco Office. Anyone with information concerning bid rigging or fraud related to real-estate foreclosure auctions should contact the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office at (415) 934-5300 or call the FBI tip line at (415) 553-7400.
Mississippi Corrections Officer Sentenced for Inmate AssaultRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that former Mississippi correctional officer Lawardrick Marsher was sentenced to 50 weekends in prison, five years probation and 150 hours of community service for severely beating an inmate at the state’s Parchman Prison.
Marsher, 29, admitted at his guilty plea in February that he repeatedly punched and kicked the victim while he lay nonresistant on the ground. The victim was temporarily blinded by the attack and suffered severe blood loss, a broken orbital bone, and permanent partial vision loss after the March 9, 2014, incident.
After the attack, Marsher and three other officers created a cover story that falsely minimized and falsely justified the force used by officers. As part of the cover-up, they wrote false reports and lied to federal investigators.
“Vicious attacks like this one dishonor the responsible work done by corrections officers throughout the country,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Tom Wheeler. “The Department of Justice will protect the rights of all citizens, including those in prison.”
The leader of the cover-up, Robert Sturdivant, has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30. Sturdivant was a lieutenant at the prison and Marsher’s supervisor.
Two other officers were sentenced on June 2 for their roles in the beating and the cover-up. Deonte Pate, 24, was sentenced to 12 weekends in jail and to a period of probation for his role in concealing the incident. Romander Nelson, 44, was sentenced to 14 weekends in jail and a period of probation for failing to intervene to protect the victim.
The Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman is the largest prison in the state, housing more than 3,000 inmates. It has operated continuously as both a prison and a working farm since 1901.
Marsher was terminated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections shortly after the incident, and Nelson and Sturdivant were terminated after federal charges were filed. Pate resigned.
"Corrections officers are sworn to protect those within our prison systems, but there is an expectation that they uphold the laws and rights of those they protect," said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi, Christopher Freeze. "Inmates are not less than human and maintain inalienable civil rights; therefore, they should be treated with justice not callous assault. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of civil rights violations."
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson Division, with the cooperation of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Coleman of the Northern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Dana Mulhauser of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.